Hampton: Peppers Is Leader Of Defense

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Julius Peppers was a dominant player in Carolina. Over the off-season he was the most desired player in the free agent class, and through 11 games it’s obvious why.

“The scouting reports from around the league have been pretty consensus,” former Bear Dan Hampton said on the Mully and Hanley Show. “They’re saying that ‘hey, for the first time in the kid’s career he’s playing every down.’ You can say he did in Carolina and think he did and all that, it doesn’t matter now because he is the goods.”

The fact that Peppers looks to be playing at a high level on every play can’t be very comforting to the Panthers’ organization. While in Carolina, Peppers got the reputation of having world-class ability, but also took plays and sometimes games off.

But in Chicago, we’ve seen a Peppers who competes and hustles on every play and has shown the ability to make the players around him better.

“Julius Peppers is the guy, the lead dog that is bringing this group from a mediocre group to a group that is throwing people around” Hampton said. “They were physical. They were relentless…Julius Peppers has been a huge influence on how, maybe, the way they prepare, but [also] the way they’re playing. And that’s the big thing.”